Seventh years, the oldest of the students, found ourselves suddenly on the brink of adulthood. There was just a few months between us and the rest of our lives. Salazar, it was a scary time. Most of us had little to no idea about what to go on to do and suddenly having to make the choice wasn't something any of us were looking forward to.

"My parents are having a betrothal contract written up," Diana Pucey confessed across the dinner table. Her words were met by stunned silence. It wasn't odd to have a contract drawn up, in fact it was the norm amongst most of the 'elite' pureblood families, but Diana had sworn to never consent to one. Out of the five of us, she was the one we least expected to be bound to such a contract.

"What made you change your mind?" I asked with a frown, reaching for the roast potatoes. "I thought you were going to apply to the Ministry."

"I didn't change my mind," she sighed, "Father decided to go ahead and draw one up. Thankfully he hasn't found a groom to shackle me to, so I've got until he finds one to do whatever I want."

"Diana –"

"Don't bother pitying me," she narrowed her eyes at me before leaning across the table and speaking in a lower voice, "I could have ended up like the youngest Greengrass girl, shackled to a man twice her age with no affection for her. I'm going to fight any bad potential betrothals with everything I have. Personally, I'm grateful that my brothers took the time to teach me hexes to repel an unfavourable suitor."

"Merlin," Wendy Flint muttered, aghast, "if I thought any of my older brothers were good enough for you Di, I'd owl them straightaway."

Diana grimaced, "No thanks." Topping up her glass of juice, she looked between Wendy and me. "What about you girls then? What's the plan?"

"I'm going to get into work," Wendy said after a moment's thought. "Salazar knows where I'll end up working though."

Their eyes shifted to me and I shrugged under the weight of their stares. "Hell, if I know. I'm hoping to think of something by the time the holidays come round."

An owl flew overhead, dropping a letter in front of me as the focus of the conversation shifted. I watched the owl as it flew out of the great hall and recognised it as Mercury, my parent's owl. As I picked up the letter, I tuned out the girls as they questioned why the letter wasn't delivered in the morning, alongside the rest of the post. Breaking the seal on the back of the letter, I looked over the words scrawled across the parchment and felt the blood drain from my face. It had to be a joke.

But it wasn't. They wouldn't joke about something like this.

"What's the matter?" Wendy asked, leaning over my shoulder to read the letter.

She gasped, snatching it from me to read it over again. I didn't protest. Instead I looked a little further down the table to where the group of seventh year boys were sat, talking between themselves. Salazar's spirit.

"What?" Diana hissed when Wendy continued to let out surprised gasps. "Merlin Wendy, hurry up or I'm going to hex you."

Wendy spluttered, reading over the letter again, "She's, that's to say–"

"I'm betrothed," I whispered in shock, trying to wrap my head around this sudden development.

"You're joking." Diana leaned towards us again, lowering her voice as she hissed, "To who?"

I had no intention of answering her question. Not yet at least. Saying his name aloud would be like admitting that it was real, that in some way, as if just by saying his name, I had consented to this. Merlin, I hadn't even known that my family was in the midst of talking to his about a betrothal. Mere minutes ago I had my entire future in front of me and all it took was one letter to determine the rest of my life.

"She's engaged to Regulus Black," Wendy said in a voice much louder than necessary.

Silence blanketed the majority of the Slytherin table. Half of the students looked to me and the other half looked to Regulus who simply took a sip from his juice as if he wasn't aware of all the eyes on him. I refused to look his way.

"Oi, Regulus," Wendy called out to the boy, "did you know about this?"

"Of course I did," he scoffed, taking me by surprise. I looked to him suddenly, watching as he glanced down the table to me for a moment.

"Did you know about this?" Diana asked quietly.

Shaking my head, I kept my eyes on Regulus as he rose to his feet and prepared to leave the great hall. I was on my feet quickly, giving the girls a vague goodbye as I followed him. He walked to the end of the hallway and stopped in front of the staircase. Turning back to me, he gestured for me to hurry over to him.

"You followed me out of the great hall so you probably have something you want to ask me." Tucking his hands into his pockets, he levelled me a look, "What is it?"

There was so much that I wanted to ask him. The question that was in the very forefront of my mind was why hadn't he told me? If he knew all along then why didn't he tell me?

Clearing my throat, I instead asked, "Did you really know about this?"

"Of course I did. Why would I lie about something so mundane?"

"The letter I got from my parents was the first I'd heard of this," I explained, fisting my school robes at my side as I sought out explanations. If my parents were considering a marriage then they would have told me, right? Unless they weren't the ones that brought the proposal forward? "Regulus, I – do you know who suggested the betrothal?"

"My family did." He tilted his head curiously, watching me carefully. "Shouldn't you be more pleased? You're to become the next Mistress of the house of Black."

"I-I just don't understand," I persisted, unable to think of why his parents chose me out of any of the other pureblood girls. I wasn't shallow enough to believe that I was the prettiest of the bunch – I wasn't – and in terms of family wealth then the Pucey's were a better match, surely? None of this made much sense. "There's so many other girls within our house that are more worthy of becoming your wife, of joining the house of Black. Really, I think –"

"That doesn't matter," he cut in firmly.

"It doesn't?" I questioned quietly, eyes wide.

"It doesn't." he confirmed, "Especially when the proposal was brought forward because I asked my parents to arranged it."

"Why?" I demanded, in shock as I stepped away from him.

"Because I wanted you."

With no other words he turned to walk up the stairs and I was left staring at his back. When he had disappeared from my sight, I let my legs collapse under me and sat on the bottom stair. Gripping the fabric of my robes in tight fists, I struggled not to cry out at the injustice of it all. It was done now.

According to the letter, our parents had signed on the betrothal contract and that was it, my future was sold away to soon-to-be husband. And Merlin, it was going to happen soon. Mother had written to let me know that the wedding was supposed to happen during the coming holiday. In less than a few weeks' time I would be married off to him.

None of this would have happened had Regulus not decided that he 'wanted' me, as if I was some bloody possession for him to covet. It probably took no more than one declaration from him for his parents to approach mine and just like that, without a second thought to my wishes, I was bound to the wrong Black.

News of my sudden betrothal swept through the house and it soon became all my four dormmates could talk about. They hadn't believed my insistence that I hadn't known about the betrothal and were instead trying to get the details of my and Regulus' secret love affair from me. I had even chosen to work with a Hufflepuff instead of one of them during Potions just so I wouldn't have to listen to them. They had thankfully taken the hint and as I walked into the common room with Helena Yaxley and Wendy on either side of me, there was no mention of it.

They had covered my eyes as soon as we entered the common room and I struggled for a few seconds until one of them had reprimanded me for trying to spoil the surprise. Giving up my struggles, I instead let them lead me until they applied pressure to both my shoulders to get me to sit.

"Alright," Adeline Goyle said from somewhere in the room, "you can open your eyes now."

I did as instructed, looking around the common room which had been magicked and charms with decorations. There were streamers hanging from the ceiling and I laughed, never have seen so much pink in the common room.

"What's going on?" I asked as Diana walked towards the sofa with a pile of presents in her hands.

"This is your surprise bridal shower," she explained as the girls settled down around me. "You better enjoy yourself – do you have any idea how hard it was to clear the common room for this?"

"Girls," I tried to protest.

"We all thought it'd do us well to get on the good side of the future Mrs Black," Diana teased as she handed me the first present, "This one is from me." I began to tear open the package as she said, "Make sure you wear it on your wedding day – Regulus'll be a very happy man."

My eyes widened at the glimpse of green lace and I slammed the lid haphazardly back on the box. They cackled as I felt the colour rush to my cheeks. But as the night progressed and I opened the presents I realised that they had all planned to embarrass me throughout the entire night. Salazar, the shameless bints had brought me the most ridiculous gifts ever, claiming that they wanted to remain on Regulus' good side. I had narrowed my eyes and changed the subject.

"So, which are you going to wear then?" Helena asked curiously, "I personally think he'd prefer the silver over the –"

"Salazar," I whined, glaring at them when they dissolved into a fit of giggles. Clearing my throat, I asked, "Did you all get your invitations then?"

"Our parents received them," Wendy explained, "mother wrote to me about it and it's supposed to happen during the beginning of the Easter holidays, hence the surprise bridal shower happening now."

"Thank you," I said gratefully as the common room was filled with sound. We all looked to the entrance of the common room where the seventh-year boys were making a racket as they talked loudly between themselves. Only Regulus and Johnathon Crouch had the decency to keep their voices low.

"He looks fine," Diana muttered conspiratorially in my ear, "it's a shame. I thought we'd see him drunk. It seems like he holds his alcohol well."

"Drunk?" I repeated, looking to Regulus who definitely did not look drunk at all, no matter how inebriated some of his friends appeared to be.

"The boys snuck him out into Hogsmeade for a bachelor's party," Adeline explained, "they claimed they were going to ply him with booze and find out every sordid detail about your relationship but here they are, blubbering over themselves while he looks as if he hasn't even had a sip of the stuff."

"Oi Pucey," Crouch called out as he herded the rest of his drunk dormmates up the stairs and to their dorm before he and Regulus walked towards us. "Shove over."

Diana grumbled under her breath and I was tempted to grab her arm and keep her from leaving me but I was too late. She moved to sit in front of the other sofa and Regulus settled down in the now vacant space. The line of his thigh pressed against mine and I shifted slightly. Whenever he was around me I remembered his claim that he had 'wanted' me but I couldn't understand why he'd want me.

"I take it you all received your invitations," he said cordially, addressing my friends who nodded.

"An Easter wedding," Wendy said conversationally, watching me as I fidgeted with my fingers. Only Diana and Wendy knew the true way I felt towards this wedding and understood how helpless I was. They also understood that there was nothing to be done about it and had instead, offered to help me make the best of it. As if that was possible. "I haven't attended one of them in a while."

"You could delay it and spend more time getting to know each other." Diana added quietly, ""Why rush the wedding so much?"

"Why?" he questioned quietly, "Easter is a time for rebirth right, it's the perfect time to be reborn as a loving husband."

Helena and Adeline ate up his words, giggling and muttering about how jealous they were that I was going to marry such a sweet man. Crouch was eyeing his friend in disbelief, reflecting what I felt inside.

I eyed him from the corner of my eye and remarked quietly, "You must be more drunk then you're letting on."

He arched an eyebrow, reaching out to finger one of the parcels on my lap. I glanced down to see him running his thumb across green lace and gasped, pulling it away from him and putting the lid on it properly this time. He looked at me from beneath his eyebrow, grinning mischievously. Merlin, he looked so much like Sirius that it made my heartache.

"Are you going to wear this for me, wife?"

"I'm not your wife," I retorted, doing my best to not flush under his eyes. I distantly heard the sound of the girls declare that they were going to give us some privacy as they fled the common room, only after making Crouch leave with them.

"Not yet," he agreed quietly, reaching into his robe pocket to pull out a ring. He took my hand before I could protest, slipping it onto my ring finger before releasing his hold on me. "It's a Black family heirloom that's been passed down for generations and it will eventually be passed onto our son too to give to his bride."

Regulus's gaze on my face felt stifling as I adamantly avoided his eyes. Instead I pretended to be enraptured by the ring on my finger which suddenly felt too heavy on my finger.

The first letter I had received from my future mother-in-law, the first real contact I'd had with either of Regulus' parents, was delivered to our family home a week or so into the Easter holiday. She had invited our family to the familial home of the Black family. Mother, who had been reading the letter from over my shoulder, had reminded me that she would be assess me during the entire encounter and part of me wanted to mess up on purpose. Salazar, the last thing I wanted was to actually marry into their family and by messing up I stood a chance of stopping it from happening. But I risked slandering my entire family if I did that and I had been raised to avoid bringing any shame to the family name.

I just couldn't do that to my family. It was the reason that, when mother asked me how I was feeling, I simply smiled in an appropriate manner and told her that I was looking forward to officially meeting them.

It was also the reason why, when Regulus greeted our family as we stepped out of the fireplace and into his home, I was sure to carefully regulate my facial expression. Father had shared some words with Regulus which I saw no need to pay attention to and instead I waited for Regulus to turn his attention to me, like I knew he would. Moments after talking to my father, he was at my side and gesturing for me to walk beside him as he showed me into his home. I even forced myself not to react to the hand pressed against the small of my back. It was difficult to do, especially when I swore I could feel the heat of it through my robes.

His parents were waiting for us in the dining room and they rose from their seats when we entered the room. Our parents shared some words of greeting and I smiled thankfully at Regulus when he pulled my seat out for me before settling into his own. We ended up seated across from both of our parents and I was reminded of the fact that this was nothing short of a job interview.

"Miss Meraud," his mother called out to me as dinner was served and she had finished exchanging pleasantries with my mother. I straightened in my seat, bringing my hand up to brush some of my hair from my face. "Your mother and I have sorted out the details for the wedding, you've got nothing to worry about. It'll be one of the grandest weddings in pureblood history."

"Thank you for putting so much care into the wedding," I said quietly, making sure to sound as grateful as I could. My eyes briefly flickered to Regulus' father who was watching me over the rim of his wine glass. Letting out a slight breath, I smiled warmly at the Black matriarch. "Truly. I imagine that the wedding will be much more up to the Black family calibre than it would have, should I have been the one to plan it."

"Of course it will," she smiled genially, the gesture looking fake on her face. Something that told me she was one of the pureblood mothers who hated their daughter-in-law simply because she had been chosen by her son without her son requiring her input. "You, Miss Meraud, just need to choose your dress."

"Please," I said softly, "call me by my first name. We are to be family, after all."

"We are?" Regulus' father cleared his throat at his wife's question. At the sound, she straightened in her seat and went on to say, "You are, of course, in the same year as Regulus. In the same house too. But my son couldn't tell me the name of your friends?"

I recognised the true meaning of the question. She was trying to find any flaw in me to try and reject this marriage and Merlin, did I want to give her that reason. All it would take was my telling her that I was in love with her son – her eldest son, the one she had forsaken, and this relationship would be abandoned. But I couldn't do that.

"I'm quite a reserved person," I confessed, "my only friends are those within the house – my dormmates."

"Dormmates being?"

"The daughters from the Pucey, Flint, Goyle and Yaxley families," Regulus answered for me, having grown tense because of his mother's line of questioning.

His mother nodded at her son, accepting his answer but kept her eyes on me, "And what of your N.E. ? How many are you taking? The Black family is known for their academic prowess."

I suppressed a snort at the blatant lie.

"I'm taking six," I answered politely, seeing the way her eyebrows rose in surprise.

"I'm pleased," she announced after a long pause. "I have always wanted the best for my son and you appear to be the best."

I lowered my eyes to my lap and pretended to be flattered and embarrassed by the compliment. The tense atmosphere lifted from the table and we all began to eat. Fidgeting with my fingers, I jumped in surprise when I felt a hand on my thigh. Looking at Regulus from the corner of my eye, I found him talking to my father as if he had done nothing wrong.

I was distracted from pushing his hand away when his mother engaged me in a conversation. She started to discuss moving my things into the house and it startled me. I had yet to even think about having to move into his home or his bedroom. It was such a large part of this entire deal and yet I had forgotten about it. His mother went on to assure me that she had plans to have his room made over until it was perfect for a newlywed couple and so I had nothing to worry about. Her words weren't reassuring at all.

Realising how tense I had grown, Regulus squeezed my thigh gently and that was reassuring. Even when I didn't want it to be.

The wedding ceremony in itself had passed by in the blink of an eye. I had walked to the front of the aisle and recited vows that had been engrained in me from the moment I'd returned home for the holiday. My heart had pounded in my chest throughout the entire ceremony and I felt like I was going to collapse when the time came to seal the vows with a kiss which had been nothing more than a fleeting pressing of lips. I had been all the more grateful when we were led away for the reception and I was instantly surrounded by my friends. Regulus had listened to their teasing words before relinquishing me to their company and I had smiled thankfully at Diana who slipped a glass of wine into my hands. Salazar, I needed it.

We all understood, to some extent, that there was always a chance that this would be our fate when we grew up; promised to a man without ever being asked our opinion and being shipped off to join his family. The guests continued to come up to me to congratulate me and I smiled back, playing the part of the blushing bride as I looked across the room in search of my… my husband who had disappeared after leaving me with my friends. I found him on the other side of the room, talking to Lucius Malfoy and Nott and I sucked in a deep breath.

I'd heard the whispered words, we all had, of the loyalty of Nott and the way he'd been branded for it. Many speculated the true allegiance of the Malfoy heir but I didn't doubt for a second where he was aligned. But why would Regulus be talking to them, unless –

Lifting the hem of my dress, I snuck out of the room. I needed a breather.

Nursing my glass, I stood outside the tent in which my reception was going on and hiding from the view of any of the guests. Staring into my glass, I decided I had nothing to lose and tipped my head back and downed all of its content. What did I stand to lose by getting a little tipsy?

A throat cleared and I cursed under my breath, wondering who had found me. Turning to look over my shoulder, I faltered slightly at the sight of James Potter. It was obvious that my surprise carried across to him, making him chuckle as he stepped towards me. He was the last person I expected to have been invited to the wedding.

"Congratulations," he said quietly.

"To you too," I murmured, inclining my head to the older man as I looked at the gold band on his finger. I couldn't help it when my eyes drifted past him in search of the man who always followed him wherever he went.

"Sirius isn't here." James smiled apologetically when I met his eyes.

"Thank you for coming," I let out a deep breath, "truly."

"I wouldn't have come if Padfoot didn't want me to give you something," he admitted as he stepped closer to me, reaching into the inside pocket of his robes. Withdrawing a letter, he held it out for me to take, "he said it's his wedding present to you."

I let out a slow breath, taking the letter from him. My eyes found Regulus who was rapidly approaching us and I tucked the letter away before he could see it. James frowned at the action, only to understand when Regulus stopped beside him and look suspiciously at him.

"Thanks for taking the time to come to wedding, Potter," Regulus said with more aggression then necessary as he came to my side, wrapping an arm around my waist. "I understand how difficult it must've been to leave your wife's side."

"Of course," James looked away from the arm around my waist, nodding at the younger man. "I should go back home, my wife's waiting for me. Congratulations, once again."

My eyes followed James as he headed towards the apparation points before turning back to Regulus who was watching me closely. I thought he was going to demand to know what I was doing outside with James but he didn't. Instead he led me silently back into the tent as the guests began to leave.

"I have some business that I need to deal with," he confessed, voice beside my ear. "Kreacher will escort you back to my – our room. I'll be there soon."

I nodded and watched him disappear into the crowd, heading in the direction of Nott. Before I found myself once again questioning the allegiance of my husband, Kreacher appeared at my side and apparated me out of the tent without a word.

We reappeared moments later in the middle of a bedroom. As I looked carefully over the room, eyes lingering on my suitcases which had been magicked over before the ceremony, I glanced back at the waiting house-elf.

"Young Master Regulus will be along shortly," he assured me before disappearing on the stop.

When I was sure that I was alone, I retrieved the letter from where I had hidden it. Sitting down on the bed, I hesitated to break open the seal. Taking in a deep breath, I let it out slowly and broke the seal on the back of the envelope.

To my favourite snake,

I'd always teased you that you'd end up as a Black but who knew that my words would actually become true. I think we both hoped they'd become true sometime in the future when I managed to get over my commitment issues but, as of today, I guess I'll have to get over that by myself.

Godric, I never imagined that you'd marry Regulus of all people. He probably hates me and so I think it's best we keep our little flirtation between ourselves, eh love? Let me give you some advice about him; he's always been soft. He tries his best to hide it behind his Slytherin facade but it's a lie. Growing up we weren't raised by the most affectionate parents, so look after him for me? He needs your heart, especially since even I can tell that he's given you his.

And so, here's my wedding gift to you; by the time you've read this letter I will have begun the process of removing you from my heart. You should do the same, love. Remove me from your heart and fill it with Regulus instead.

Congratulations on your wedding; I'm sure you were a beautiful bride.

Padfoot

Regulus had returned to his room in the middle of the night and had simply changed and fallen asleep. I had been grateful for whatever business kept him so busy. Or rather, that was until I had contemplated what exactly this business of his was. And as I turned to look at him as he slept beside me, I felt a deep sinking in my gut. Had I married a death eater?

Kreacher apparated into the room, opening the curtains before he approached the bed. Regulus flinched when the sun streamed into his face, rolling over to get away from the sunlight. He buried his face in my hair, throwing an arm over my waist. I stiffened, watching as he lifted his face from his pillow and blinked sleepily at me. Silently I watched as his eyes raked across my face and the arm around my waist tightened, pulling me into him.

"Young Master," Kreacher started cautiously making Regulus groan and pull away from me. I released a breath I didn't realise I was holding as he sat up, throwing his legs over the edge of the bed. "Master and Mistress are waiting for young Master and the new young Mistress to join them for breakfast."

Regulus nodded, rubbing his face in his hands as he fought against the urge to sleep. Clearing my throat, I rose from the bed and looked to the house-elf.

"Thank you Kreacher," I said quietly, "we'll be down in a moment."

And we were. I had silently taken my clothes and disappeared into the ensuite. By the time I returned back to our bedroom, Regulus was fixing the cuffs of his robes and waiting for me. I stepped aside so he could enter the ensuite and headed to my vanity.

We had yet to say a single word to each other. Was this what the rest of my life would be like? Toxic silences and unsaid words? If this was it then why had he 'wanted' me in the first place?

When he emerged from the ensuite, we made our way silently down to breakfast and greeted his parents who were waiting for us. As I ate in silence, I wondered whether I would ever fit into this house, into this family. Even if I never managed to find my place, perhaps I could grow accustomed to it so I felt less out of place?

"When do you plan on having an heir?"

"P-Pardon?" I choked a little at the sudden question, looking at my mother-in-law with wide eyes.

"When do you plan on having an heir?" she repeated slowly. I hadn't misheard her then.

"We plan to wait, mother." Regulus looked over the table at his mother who wasn't pleased with the news. He spoke on before she could say anything, "Any plans for an heir should wait until we finish school. For now, we should focus on our N.E.W.T.s."

"The boy's right, Walberga," his father cut in and just like that the topic was dropped and I could breathe easy again.

Moments later, Regulus rose to his feet and held a hand out towards me. I hesitated, looking between his hand and his parents who were watching us closely. Slipping my hand into his hand, I let him pull me to my feet.

"We've finished eating," Regulus declared, "there's something I need to show her."

"Go ahead," his father dismissed us and I turned to my husband who led me out of the dining room.

I followed him silently as he led me up the stairs to the very top floor of the house. During the entire ascent, my eyes scanned the house which was still so unfamiliar to me and yet was supposed to be my home. Upon reaching the final floor, my eyes widened in wonder as we stepped into a large library.

"My parents don't like frequenting the library," Regulus confessed from behind me as I approached one of the bookshelves, tracing the spines of the book with my fingertips. "And I won't come in here if you don't want me to either. You can spend hours in here if you really want to."

I glanced over my shoulder at him, furrowing my eyebrows in confusion, "Why?"

"This is my way of apologising," he said quietly, clearing his throat. "I was so busy with business during their wedding that I didn't give you attention that I should have."

Turning to face him, I crossed my arms and asked cautiously, "Can you tell me what this business of yours is?"

He hesitated and thought carefully. "I can't tell you. Not yet."

"I understand," I muttered, eyes flickering to his covered left arm before turning back to the bookshelf.

I heard him sigh behind me and briefly reflected back to Sirius' letter which I had hidden deep within my belongings. Sirius wanted me to try and find love within this marriage and I couldn't do that by continuously pushing his brother away.

"What's your favourite book?" I asked quietly enough that he could pretend to have not heard the words if that was what he really wanted.

"My favourite?" he repeated as I turned to watch him approach one of the bookshelves. He scanned each of the titles on one of the shelves before pulling one out and holding it out to me. I looked over the cover, eyebrows rising when I recognised it as a tale my nanny elf had read to me throughout my childhood.

"Will you read it for me?" my request took him by surprise but he nodded, approaching the armchairs in the corner of the room.

"Are you sure you want me to read this to you?" he questioned cautiously as I walked towards him, settling down in the chair beside his.

I went to rise from my seat, "If you don't want to –"

"No!" He cleared his throat, gesturing for me to sit. "I'll read it."

During the few weeks I'd spent within the walls of Grimmauld Place, I had grown used to Regulus' presence at a startling rate. I was so used to sleeping in the same bed with him that the warmth of his body behind mine would effortlessly send me to sleep. I could only wonder how I'd cope once we returned to school and were back to using our separate dorms.

I had also become a very light sleeper. Kreacher had a habit of apparating into the room in the early morning to wake us up and just the small pop of his apparation was enough to wake me up. So really, it was no surprise when the loud hiss of pain Regulus gave one night woke me. He sat up suddenly, scrambling from the bed and I blinked sleepily as I watched him make his trek around the room. Searching the bedside table for his wand, he quickly changed his clothes and paid no mind to me. He had intended to leave the room without a word and would have done, had he not caught sight of me as I sat up in the bed.

"I need to leave," he explained, fidgeting on his feet a little, "there's business I need to deal with."

I couldn't say anything. Instead I nodded and tried my very best to convince myself that I had been seeing things, that my sleep laden eyes were playing tricks of me. But how could I deny it? I had seen it with my own eyes. The hideous mark marring the skin of his left arm, the exact one on his father's arm. There was no questioning it anymore. I knew where his loyalties were and damn it all, I had managed to fall for him. I was married to a death eater who was doing his best to hide the fact from me.

He sighed, seeing that I wasn't going to say anything and turned to leave the room. "Go back to sleep, I'll be back by the time morning breaks."

I was out of the bed in an instant, catching his hand before he could leave our room. He turned back to me, waiting and I tried to think of something to say, to do but I couldn't. All I wanted to do was ask him why he'd branded himself – he was so young. I wanted to ask him to stay, to ignore the call but I'd heard enough hushed whispers to know what his fate would be should he decide to not go. Instead, I searched his features and saw the hesitation flicker through his eyes. He could tell that I knew.

It was all there. The smart man had put it all together and he knew that I wasn't oblivious to it anymore. He opened his mouth as if to explain, to justify it all but I wasn't ready for that. It was his choice and I wasn't ready to hear why he'd made such a choice. Rising to my toes, I kissed him. Softly, drawing it out as I tried not to cry because Merlin, it was so incredibly stupid to have begun to fall in love with a blood death eater. When he pulled away, he was shocked. Of course he was, it was the first kiss we had shared since our wedding.

"Stay safe," I pleaded quietly and he nodded.

"Get some sleep," he murmured, pressing his lips to the top of my forehead before leaving the room.

I had returned to the bed once he'd left. But how could I sleep after all that I had discovered? How was I supposed to rest when he was out there doing who knows what? Salazar, his father was a death eater. Had he been the one to introduce Regulus into that madman's inner circle? Or was he automatically signed up the moment his father had joined?

Somehow sleep had come to me but I doubted that I slept any more than an hour. When I woke next, it was when the mattress dipped and I sat up suddenly, looking to my husband. He sat with his back to me, physically trembling on the edge of the bed. I outstretched a hand towards him, hesitating before touching his back. He stiffened, glancing at me from over his shoulder and I took in a breath at the red rimming his eyes.

"Salazar," I muttered under my breath.

Regulus turned towards me then and before I could say anything, he had thrown his arms around me. Cautiously I wrapped my arms back around him and held him as he took in shuddering breaths to compose himself.

"What happened?" I almost regretted asking the question as soon as I'd said it.

"I went on my first mission," he admitted, the words hidden in my neck, "the Dark Lord thought it was time I went on one because we're leaving Hogwarts soon. I had to kill – I saw the light leave her eyes and I – I couldn't –"

His voice trailed off as he became physically unable to carry on his words but I understood what he meant. Running a hand over his hair, I held him close to me and comforted him until he found the strength the confide in me. Merlin, and confide in me he did. He started from the very beginning, talking about how he wound up in this entire mess and by the time he started to speak about the events of tonight, he was falling asleep.

Kreacher popped into the room before I could lay him down on the mattress. He took one look at Regulus who was sleeping against my chest and cleared his throat.

"Master and Mistress were asking why young Master and young Mistress are late to breakfast."

I took one look at my slumbering husband. "We'll take breakfast in our room."

Something told me that neither of my husband's parents would appreciate to know that he was so 'weak' in the aftermath of his first real mission. Merlin, what was I to do? From Regulus' words, it was obvious that the moment we left the school he would be sent on more missions. He was become less enamoured with the teachings of the madman and was slowly beginning to see sense. But was it too late?

Now that we were back in Hogwarts I was determined to further disillusion Regulus from his prejudice views. It would take some time but I was going to do it because Sirius wouldn't have liked to know that his brother was fighting on the other side. In my bid to do so, I had taken to sticking to Regulus' side more. Even the girls had commented on how odd the action was.

We were sat in the common room, long after the rest of the students had vacated it. Sitting in front of the fireplace, I sipped on the tea that had been smuggled from the kitchens.

"So spill," Helena demanded with a raised eyebrow, setting her own cup aside. "You and Regulus have grown really close."

"Is that a bad thing?" I questioned quietly, "I thought growing attached to him was supposed to be a good thing?"

"And it is," Adeline responded after sharing a look with Helena, "we just want to know how it happened – you were practically glued to his side the entire time."

"He's my husband," I said as if that explained everything, and it should have.

"It's just weird to see the two of you so … affectionate," Wendy muttered into her cup, "It's just reminds us all of how hopelessly alone we are."

"Then tell your parents to contract your betrothal," Diana said with more bite than necessary.

"Di?" I called out quietly to the girl who buried her face in her hands.

"My parents are actually in betrothal talks with bloody Nott!" she cried into her hands, "As if the man isn't old enough to be my fucking father."

"But he's married," Adeline was horrified.

"From what I heard he's got 'plans' for her." She looked up from her hands, "I have no idea what to do."

"About what?" Johnathon questioned as he approached us with Regulus at his side.

"The pair of you are so bloody nosey," I admonished, shuffling over so Regulus could sit down beside me.

"I'm about to be sold away to fucking Nott!" Diana despaired, slumping against him.

"Salazar," Johnathon grimaced, patting her back "have your parents gone mad?"

"Probably."

I was distracted from the conversation, catching Regulus' movement from the corner of my eye. He was listening to our friends as they talked, not one to add anything to the conversation, and instead he was absentmindedly scratching at his left arm. Or rather he was trying to get at his dark mark from over his clothes. It was something I'd seen him do regularly and I could only assume that he did it to as if it could miraculously erasing the marking from his skin. But it wouldn't, we both knew that.

Silently, I took his left arm and draped it over my thighs. Running my fingers soothingly across his arm, from over his robes, I tried to calm the skin which became easily irritated under his nails. I very distantly heard Johnathon offer to enter a betrothal contract with Diana so she wouldn't need to marry Nott.

Regulus turned to me with a careful smile which I returned. I watched him as he drew closer to me and brought his mouth to rest beside my ear.

"Slughorn pulled me aside after the welcoming feast," he confessed.

Turning into him I asked quietly, "What did he want?"

"He thought it was only right to inform me that the spell on the stairs leading to the girl's dorm has been strengthened. He was laughing and wished me better luck next time." I could hear the amusement in Regulus' voice when he went on to add, "But the old man said nothing about a spell on the boy's stairs so I assume that, like before, there's no spell on it."

Narrowing my eyes at him, I hissed, "You're mad if you think that I'm bunking with you in the boy's dorm."

He drew back slightly, raising a haughty eyebrow as he demanded, "Can you sleep alone? Salazar knows that I seem to have lost the ability to."

"We'll I'm sure Johnathon will let you into his bed."

He threw me an aggravated look, going to comment on it before he lost the chance to. Johnathon had picked up a cushion from the sofa and thrown it at him. It had hit him in the face, leaving him spluttering. Picking up the cushion, he threw it back at Johnathon who caught it with open arms.

"What the hell?" Regulus raised an eyebrow at his dormmate.

"Save it for when you're alone," he threw back, unashamed.

Professor Slughorn made no effort to try and hide how pleased he was with my and Regulus' union and had gone as far as to throw a Slug Club party to honour it. Frankly, I could have dealt without the awkwardness of it all. But Regulus had been a member of the club since receiving an invitation at the beginning of his sixth year. He insisted that we attended the party and I thought that it sounded like a way of being embarrassed in front of other people. Salazar, what was the need of throwing this dinner?

But, I kept my thoughts to myself and allowed Regulus to lead me towards Professor Slughorn's office. I stepped into the office for the first time since I had started at Hogwarts and let my eyes roam across the entire room as Regulus took my cloak for me. Professor Slughorn beamed at the mere sight of us and approached us quickly.

"Ah, the happy couple," he said with a smile, reaching out to pat Regulus on the shoulder, "Let me take the moment to offer a hearty congratulation."

"Thank you, professor," I said with a grateful smile, inclining my head a little as Regulus stood beside me, back straight and arms behind his back. Salazar, the etiquette had been bred deep to his core, "But there was really no need to do this. We were pleased that you attended the wedding at all."

"Speaking on the wedding," Regulus added as he turned his attention to the older man, "I do apologise for not being able to express my gratitude for not only your attendance but your present in person. Mother had invited a lot of guests, you see.

"Think nothing of it," the older man dismissed as some of the other guests walked into the room, "Just between the pair of us I happen to think it was my inference that sparked this little romance."

"His inference?" I asked curiously, looking up at Regulus who merely shrugged my question away. Our professor continued to speak, not realising that he had lost our attention.

I looked back to the professor who was watching me with sparkling eyes, "What about you, my dear? Is he keeping you up too late?"

"He's been the perfect husband," I confided, pretending not to understand what exactly he was insinuating with his words. "I couldn't have asked for a better one."

Slughorn turned his eyes to Regulus and smiled approvingly, "Good lad." His gaze drifted past us to settle on some of the other guests, "Will you excuse me for a moment?"

Walking away from us, Slughorn went to greet the other guests and I turned to Regulus to say something. But my words faded into silence when I realised that he was frowning. He met my eyes briefly before looking away from me again.

My frown deepened as I asked, "What's the matter?"

"What's it going to take for your words to become the truth?" he wondered, the words so quiet that only I picked up on them.

"What are you talking about?" I demanded with furrowed eyebrows, "Of course they're the truth." He gave me a look and I rolled my eyes as I lowered my voice, "Really, Regulus? Have you not noticed the changes in the way I behave around you? Were you expecting a large declaration from me that my feelings towards you have begun to mirror yours? Because neither of us are gaudy enough to do big declarations. They're not exactly a very Slytherin thing to do, now are they? I mean, Slytherins prefer action, right?"

I realised my mistake only after he had. My words had Regulus smirking as he wrapped an arm around my waist. Pulling me into him, he lowered his head suggestively.

"Action, huh?" he murmured.

I swatted at his chest, trying to push away from him when the members of the Slug Club began to throw looks our way. He didn't budge even slightly and I glared at him.

"You now that's not what I meant," I hissed at him.

"And what did you mean then?" he responded innocently making me narrow his eyes at me.

He eventually retracted his arm from around me and I had wondered whether my look had finally worked. Only to turn around and find that Professor Slughorn was approaching us and was the reason that Regulus remembered where he was. The older man merely laughed good-naturedly, seeing through Regulus's smile as he came to a stop before us.

"While it's good to see the two of you so in love, please do come along." He began to lead us towards the table, walking between the pair of us to keep us separated long enough for us to get to the table without being distracted. "I have a speech all planned out."

We shared a look behind his back; this was going to be a long night.